Oct 06, 2021
There may be sooner or later left earlier than we all know whether or not town council has taken motion on our APA! Decision by including it to the subsequent metropolis council assembly agenda.
What retains rising to the highest of criticism of our decision from council workplaces is that they don’t perceive why Austin Pets Alive! needs to be allowed to assist communities outdoors of the better Austin metro space. They see and listen to about animals having lengthy lengths of keep at Austin Animal Middle(AAC) and the kennels being overcrowded there. Some imagine that Austin Pets Alive!’s major operate, along with conserving Austin a No Kill Metropolis, needs to be to alleviate the stress at Austin Animal Middle for town employees. Some additionally imagine that Austin Pets Alive!’s apply of serving to animals outdoors of Austin is definitely inflicting the overcrowding at Austin Animal Middle.
The issue with this line of considering is that “relieving stress” shouldn’t be one thing the Metropolis of Austin compensates APA! to do neither is it in step with our mission. APA! has used the City Lake Animal Middle for the final 10 years to maintain Austin No Kill by pulling animals from Austin Animal Middle who will die if we don’t. The town council has awarded Austin Animal Middle with sufficient funding to alleviate their very own stress.
So then why is Austin Animal Middle continuously crowded?
It’s as a result of Austin metropolis management has given little credence to analysis and knowledge that clearly exhibits that Austin has, and has all the time had, greater than sufficient adopters to soak up each single animal at Austin Animal Middle AND to undertake each single animal that will get assist from APA!, Austin Humane Society and the tons of of rescue teams who soak up animals from throughout the state.
We imagine that the rationale that credence shouldn’t be given is that it’s a lot simpler to say “there will not be sufficient adopters,” which means that rising adoptions is outdoors the management of the shelter director and reinforces poor efficiency.
We imagine it’s incumbent on us as shelter professionals, and we embody Austin Animal Middle management in that, to have a look at knowledge when making any resolution. We thought, however now notice we is perhaps improper, that town supervisor and town council additionally used knowledge to drive choices. If AAC management, and metropolis council members, did that, they might be capable of say “I see an issue with too many animals dwelling at AAC at one time” after which join that to the considered “what can I do to make this higher”. Now we have stated it earlier than nevertheless it’s value repeating: adoptions don’t simply occur. They’re the results of assets, time, and strategic planning to make sure that the animals housed at AAC are getting alternatives to satisfy folks and to be seen.
To place it in perspective, over the past 5 years, town has elevated Austin Animal Middle’s funds by $1M per 12 months. Tellingly, each single class of programming has benefited from that elevated funding EXCEPT “Pet Placement/ Pet Outcomes” which really fell by 30% in budgeted monies. Why isn’t anybody in management, at any degree, analyzing and correcting that as an alternative of strongarming APA! into making up for it?
Austin Pets Alive! has by no means been desirous about being the Metropolis of Austin’s “overflow” for a system that lacks oversight, lacks important considering, and continues to make poor choices and we’re standing by our mission to avoid wasting lives.
As particular person residents and as a personal nonprofit, we have now requested and requested for the federal government animal shelter to be run properly as a result of it’s critically vital to Austin’s animals and to APA!. That has not labored. We hope this remaining try to get up our metropolis council will work and we, in partnership with the Metropolis of Austin, can lastly deal with ahead momentum. To maintain the help robust by way of this remaining day of metropolis council consideration, please maintain emailing to precise your help for the APA! decision.
Even when you have already got despatched an e-mail, we have to maintain the message prime of thoughts. Thanks!
